Mass death of fish hits Johor fishermen

NUSAJAYA: Fish farms and fishermen who get their source of income from the Tanjung Kupang waters in the Johor Straits near here have been affected by the mass death of fish in the area.

At least 10 fish farms and 250 traditional fishermen were affected by the death of the fishes in the past four days, believed to be due to off-shore land reclamation works in the vicinity.

One of the fish farmers Lee Boon Hock, 30, said that he suffered losses of more than RM150,000 in three days as more than 90% of his fish and fish fry were dead.

"We can only salvage what is left but those fish still have to be tested to see if they are safe for consumption," he said when met at his fish farm near Kampung Pendas Laut below the Second Link bridge here Thursday.

He noticed that the sea water have been polluted and turned brownish in colour after the land reclamation project began about a month ago and it was the first time that his farm suffered such losses.

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